Karol
Karol is a Basque, Polish, Slovak, and Slovene given name that is a form of Karl or Karolus. Notable people with the name include the following:
- Polish
- Slovak
- Slovene
- English
Meaning & Origin of Karol
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Karol is a Basque, Polish, Slovak, and Slovene given name that is a form of Karl or Karolus. Notable people with the name include the following:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Polish
- Slovak
- Slovene
- English
The Story of Karol
As a girl name
Karol first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1918, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2005, when 316 Karols were born — ranking #818 that year. As of 2026, Karol ranks #3,458 for girls with 45 births, holding steady (-3%). In total, more than 10K Karols have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Karol first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1911, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2005, when 132 Karols were born — ranking #1,201 that year. As of 2026, Karol ranks #10,812 for boys with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 1K Karols have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Karol
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Karol. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Karol
Phonetically similar names — useful when Karol is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Karol
What does the name Karol mean?
What is the origin of the name Karol?
How popular is Karol in 2026?
When was Karol most popular?
In which U.S. states is Karol most popular?
Is Karol a unisex name?
What names go well with Karol?
What are nicknames or variants of Karol?
About the name Karol
Karol is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1918 and has accumulated 10K births in the dataset. Karol's peak popularity came in 2005 when it ranked #492. Use the chart and map above to compare Karol's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2005 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.